Articles

Pray And Not Faint
“Men ought always to pray, and not faint.” -Luke 18:1 PRAY…IN THE SPIRIT AT ALL TIMES WITH ALL KINDS OF PRAYERS… EPHESIANS 6:18

1) The prayer of agreement: ‘If two of you…agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father’ (Matthew 18:19 NIV). When you’re up against something too big to handle alone, find a prayer partner and agree in prayer with them. A prayer of agreement is part of a lifestyle of harmony with the people around you.

2) The prayer of faith: Be confident when you ask God to meet your needs. Jesus said, ‘…Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.’ (Mark 11:24 NIV). Length, loudness or fancy long words all miss the point; it’s the trust in our heart, towards God, that gets through!

3) The prayer of thanks: When our requests outweigh our worship it says something about us. Self-centred people demand a lot but appreciate very little. God won’t allow us to enjoy the fullness of all He’s planned for us until we become thankful for what we’ve already got. Praying with thanks is like switching your prayer-connection to Broadband! Listen: ‘…Pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks’ (Philippians 4:6 NCV). Powerful living comes through thanksgiving. We can ‘pray continually’ (1Thessalonians 5:17) by thanking God all day long for His favour, mercy, kindness, grace, and goodness.

4) The prayer of intercession: ‘I looked for a man…who would…stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land’ (Ezekiel 22:30 NIV). To intercede means: ‘to stand in the gap’ for someone else. If there’s a hole in that person’s relationship with God due to a particular sin, you have the privilege of placing yourself in that hole to pray for them. ‘The gap’ is the distance between what is – and what can be

5) The prayer of release: ‘Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about what happens to you’ (1Peter 5:7 NLT). As long as you keep trying to control everything your stress level will just keep climbing. But when you learn to hand things over to God, you’ll wonder why you spent even a single day worrying. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28 NIV).

6) The prayer of availability: The apostle Paul encourages us, ‘…offer yourselves to God…’ (Romans 6:13 NIV). That’s like signing your name on a blank cheque. It’s saying, ‘Here I am, I want my life to please you. I hope I like what You choose, but even if I don’t I’ll do it anyway; I’ll live out your plans, not mine.’ Everyday, all over the world, great things happen through the lives at people who have become available to God. Today let God do the work that needs to be done in you, so that He can do the work that He desires to do through you. As the Lord’s Prayer says, Let thy (God’s) will be done. Let thy Kingdom come. “As is the business of tailors to make clothes and cobblers to make shoes, so it is the business of Christians to pray.” – Martin Luther “The true church lives and moves and has its being in prayer.” – Leonard Ravenhill
By-Pastor Jatinder P. Gill

BaptismBuried with Christ

One of the most important things for a child of God is to be obedient to Him. The Bible says obedience is better than sacrifice. Baptism is a step of obedience for the believer to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ as found in Matthew 28:19-20 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. Henceforth, water baptism is not a personal choice, but a command for all believers (Mark 16:16).
The English word baptism is mentioned 40 times in the Bible and it is a translation of the Greek word ‘baptismos’. The verbal form ‘baptizen’ means “to dip into or to immerse”. The word ‘baptizo’ means: I baptize or I immerse and can never be translated as anything else. Whenever the New Testament refers to baptism, it always signifies immersion.
You cannot simply be baptized to become a member of a church or because somebody may think it’s a good idea. Mk.16:16 “He who believes and is baptized will be saved.” Acts 2:38 “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins…” Baptism is an ordinance of the church, because it is something that Jesus Himself ordained. This is how during Bible days believers were accepted when they make a public statement of their faith on Christ Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. Peter makes its comparison with Noah and his family going through the flood in the ark (1Pet.3:20-21).The water of the Flood brought judgment on then world that was full of corruption and full of violence (Gen.6:5, 11). Therefore, water symbolizes judgment that Jesus in His death took upon Himself for the people of all ages. The water did not cleanse Noah and his family, but the faith that caused them to believe and obey God and build the Ark. In the same way the water baptism does not cleanse us, but the faith in the risen Lord Jesus Christ prior to baptism which leads us to obey this command. Before we decide who is qualified to take baptism the candidate must answer the following questions:
Do you believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God?
Have I accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior?
Have I repented of my sins and asked forgiveness of my sins?
Have I become a new person in Christ? (Mk. 16:15-16; Acts16:31–33; 18:8).
Right and complete Baptism
1. Right Candidate: Infant or Child baptism was first mentioned by Irenaeus in 200 AD and opposed by Tertullian in 2nd century. Later it became a wrongful practice in the 5th century. Infants or children can’t be baptized because they have no idea about having faith in Christ or repentance. John the Baptist refused to baptize the religious leaders as they had not repented of their sins and they had not been born again. Therefore, only those who have ability to repent and are saved can be baptized. Children are dedicated unto the Lord and when they reach to the age of accountability then they should repent of their sins and then be baptized. Baptism by itself will not save anyone. It is repentance of sins and faith in Jesus Christ will save us. Jesus says children are already part of the kingdom of God. Mk.10:14 “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.”
Infants should not be baptized because:
a. There is no Scriptural basis for this practice.
b. Babies cannot repent of their sins.
c. They cannot confess the faith as Jesus is the Lord and Savior of their lives.
d. They cannot be taught all the commands that Jesus commissioned to His disciples to teach after their baptism (Matt.28:19).
e. Baptism must be taken willingly and infants cannot choose to obey God in Baptism. They do not understand about sin and walking in spiritual victory.
2. Right Formula: It is performed in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit a formula taught and commanded by Jesus Christ himself to His disciples in Mathew 28:19. All these places (Acts 2:38; 8:12,16 ; 10:48; 19:5) where baptism in the name of Jesus is mentioned are not giving us the formula but simply differentiating between Baptism taught by Jesus and other Baptisms, of the Judaism, John the Baptist (Acts 19:3: Matt. 3:6) and of heathen. Those days Jewish practiced baptism for religious ceremonial cleansing, and John the Baptist also practiced the baptism of repentance.
3. Right Mode:In which the body is not fully immersed into the water because only dipping into the water and coming out of the water can rightfully symbolize the burial and resurrection of believers’ along with Jesus Christ (Rom. 6:3-4; Col. 2:12). Immersion fits exactly into the picture of burial of old, dead life and rising of new, transformed life (II Cor. 5:17).
Immersion is the mode that was practiced in the New Testament Church. Sprinkling or pouring of water has no scriptural basis. The word sprinkling also known as Christening comes from the Greek word “rantizo” and is never used in terms of any form of New Testament baptism. When Jesus was baptized, He came “up out of the water” (Mk. 1:10). When Philip baptized the Ethiopian Eunuch, both of them went “down into” and came “up out of” the water (Acts 8:38-39).
Henceforth, any form baptism other than what is commanded in the Bible is not correct or complete baptism. In there were 12 disciples who had only taken the baptism of John the Baptist hence Paul explained to them the way of the Lord and they were re-baptized. In Acts 19:1-5 Paul met some disciples who were not correctly baptized. Paul explained to them what is Word based baptism and they took baptism again which was right and taught by our Lord Jesus Christ.
Importance of Baptism
1. It was instituted by God (John 1:6, 33).
2. It was commanded by Jesus Christ. Matt. 28:19-20. He says in John14:21 “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”
3. Christ set an example. He did nothing without purpose, He himself took baptism to set an example for us to follow in His footsteps (1 Pet. 2:21; Mt 3:15).
4. To fulfill all righteousness. Mt 3:15 But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him.
5. The Apostles commanded believers to be baptized (Acts 2:38-42: 10:48).
6. It is an integral part of the Gospel (Acts 8:32-35).
7. Baptism is for all those who believe. Baptism is an outward demonstration of an inward faith. (Acts 8:5, 12; 35-38).
8. In baptism, the believer identifies with Christ. When I am baptized I demonstrate what Christ did for me in His death, burial and resurrection (Romans 6:3-6). I die to sin. I am buried like Christ… I am raised in the power of the Holy Ghost as a brand new person.
9. Baptism is a very important confession of faith to enter into the body of Christ. 1Cor. 12:13 “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body–whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free–and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.”
10. It was practice of the early church (Acts 2:38, 41; 8:12, 36; 10:48; 16:30-33; 19:1-5).
11. It is the request for a good conscience toward the Lord (1 Pet. 3:21).
12. It is dangerous to reject this command. Luke 7:30 “But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the will of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.” Mt 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.”
Who can perform the ordinance of water baptism?
You can’t simply go into a river or pond and dip yourself into whenever and wherever you want. This is a very serious ordinance prayerfully performed by a servant of God who himself is saved and baptized according to the Bible by immersion into the water and who has received the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38-42; 8:14-17; 10:44-48).
When Baptism should be taken?
Christians have no choice but to obey the command of Jesus Christ. The idea of an unbaptized believer never occurs in the New Testament. Following some of the examples from the New Testament should convince you to obey the Lord instantly.
1. The 3000 on the Day of Pentecost believed and baptized immediately (Acts2:41).
2. The Samaritans ( Acts 8:12)
3. The Ethiopian official was baptized immediately (Acts 8:36-38).
4. Paul was baptized by Ananias within hours after conversion (Acts 9:17-19).
5. Cornelius and his household were baptized very day they were saved (Acts 10:47-48).
6. Lydia and her household were baptized shortly after their conversion (Acts16:14-15).
7. The Philippian jailer obeyed the same night (Acts16:33).
8. Ephesians disciples (Acts 19:5).
Have you obeyed this important command of our Lord Jesus Christ?
Seven types of Baptisms
Ephesians 4:5 says, “…one Lord, one faith, one baptism.” Study of these scripture will help you to follow the Word of God in its full meaning and completeness.
1. Baptism in the cloud and in the sea. 1 Cor. 10:1-2
2. Baptism of John the Baptist in water. Mk. 1:1-8
3. Baptism of Jesus in water. Lk. 3 & Matt. 3
4. Believer’s Water Baptism Acts 2:44-48
5. Baptism in the Holy Spirit. Lk. 3:16; Acts 11:16.
6. Baptism into the body of Christ (Church). Gal. 3:27; 1Cor. 12:13
7. Baptism of suffering/Fire. Lk. 12:50, Phil.1:29
Procedure of the Service
1. Prayer.
2. Song or hymn which conveys the meaning and importance of Baptism.
3. Scripture reading. Matt. 3:1-17, 28:18-20; Mk. 1:1-11, 16:14-17; Acts 2:38-42; 8:26-39; 10:44-48; Rom.6:1-13 etc.
4. Short message by the minister.
5. The Pastor first enters the water, and then candidates appear individually.
6. Holding the candidate individually Pastor asks the candidate basic questions about his born again experience, faith in the triune God and on the life, death, burial, resurrection and second coming of Jesus Christ.
7. Then the candidate says I do. Then Pastor shall say: “Upon the confession of your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, I now baptize you, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”
8. When the candidate comes out of the water, the Pastor admonishes, “Be faithful until death and you will receive the crown of life.”
The service is ended with the song or hymn and with final prayer and benediction.
My responsibility after Baptism
In Acts 2:38-42 we find detail about a believer’s responsibilities after baptism.
1. Devotion to teaching/doctrine.
2. Regular fellowship with other believers.
3. Participation in the Holy Communion.
4. Prayer.
Pastor Jatinder P. Gill